Co Existing
by Fen Jien Ren
Summary: /ON HIATUS / Grimmjow is an anti-social security-for-hire. But give him anything, and you can consider it already done! Except when it's escorting a blind person...
1. First Day

**FEN:** I rephrased and added a few scenes, things that really doesn't have a direct connection with the story, so it's your choice if you want to reread it. It's basically just _Shiro_ being pervy and messing with Grimmjow's clueless mind, making the long conversations livelier and Grimmjow a little more expressive. No changes on the third scene and onwards though. I just had to do this to regain the flow of story because I had been inactive for such a long time that I actually forgot _how_ to continue this.

In all of my fics, I refer to _Shiro_ as Kurosaki Koichi, but everyone would mostly call him _Shiro_ still as a nickname for obvious reasons. I think only Ichigo would call him by his name... because I don't remember any time in the manga/anime when he refered to someone with anything else. Koichi means _the pure one. _Separately,_ Ko _could mean _sin/fault_, _child, _or _the late/latter_ depending on how one would write it. He's the younger twin, by the way.

**No GenBen** (Gender Bending). Even Hollow Ichigo and Grimmjow can make mistakes.

* * *

**Co-Existing.**  
Chapter One.

Grimmjow grumbled in his seat, crossing his arms and legs as he sunk back to the high chair that was generously offered to him and to his partner by the humble servants of the large mansion. Despite the adjective he chose to describe it with, he still thought it was an understatement, because the place looked as if it could get its own zip code! Getting inside didn't help his fidgeting either. Everywhere he turned, he could see millions of things that were more expensive than his own life tenfold. The mansion was really, _really_... humongous!

_Humongous? _Grimmjow still felt it was an understatement, mind you.

"Quit yer fidgetin', school girl." His partner muttered with a wide grin.

"Shut it, _shiro._" He growled, sending a death glare to the albino's location, and shifted to what he thought could be a more comfortable position. Grimmjow had been restless ever since he was granted access to pass through the heavy gates of the gigantic mansion. "Just do me a favor and make the chit-chattering quick."

"As the kitty cat commands."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes, untangling his limbs and leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He intertwined his fingers and started twiddling his thumbs in hopes of relieving some pressure that was making him sweat coolly. "What's this job about anyway?"

"'Ere gonna be stakin' our ass fer a non-seein' brat."

"A live one?" He whipped his head to the side, "I thought I've made it clear enough for you guys!"

"Ya did an' I know, bu'," the albino paused, leaning back to his chair, "Ya ain't gonna earn nothin' if ya ain't flexible, ya know."

"Tch!"

Grimmjow scowled but said nothing more. His partner obviously wanted to piss him off, and fuck, was it working! He was never one to socialize, and that was because he hated everyone else than himself and his all-time partner. In spite of their frequent exchange of harsh words, Grimmjow was only comfortable with the albino and no one else. He hated everyone else with all his might, and it was impossible for him to befriend with someone without ripping their guts out.

"Lighten up, kitty. Ya know 'ow big we're gonna get fer this."

"I don't care about money! You know how it is for me!"

"Don't be an ass. It's just fer a year."

"A _year_ means twelve months, you dumbfuck. Twelve! I'd want to show you stupid freak just how many that is but I can't unless I grow an extra finger in each of my hands!" He slammed his fist at the wooden armrest, growling at the albino who was simply ignoring his _awful_ predicament with a smirk. "A month means four weeks! A week is seven days! An' a freaking fucking day—"

"I get it, kitty cat. I can do math." He waved his white hand dismissively in the air, "An' if ya really wanna hear me say it, then lemme' say it: I _don't_ give a _shit_. Ya know sooner o' later this is bound ta happen."

Grimmjow's left blue eye twitched. So this was what he's gonna get after sticking around this long with this freakin albino? A lecture? A god forsaken _lecture_?! A lecture about life and all that crap?! Who was this guy kidding? This freak _is_ crazier than him!

"How can you not give a shit, you shithead?!" He shot up.

"Well, I jus' fuckin' don't, ya blueberry alien wuss!"

But _ooooh_, yes... they were good friends, and you know what else? This could go on for hours. Yep! _Hours_, and it never failed to amaze everyone else how they could act like it was nothing afterwards. Everyone simply assumed that this was their own kind of _bonding_, so nobody ever cared even when they were already at each other's throat. Even Ichigo, Kurosaki Koichi's older twin brother, had given up on them.

"What in the hell did you just call me?!" He lunged forward and fisted his partner's white open coat, snarling at the still rather amused face as he pulled it close to him.

"A fuckin' _wuss._" The Japanese slurred, savoring the amusing feeling it had on his lips as he said it slowly and how those bright blue eyes burned and bore holes into his pale skin. "Ya deaf or somethin'? Chickie?"

Grimmjow glared as hard as he could, grinding his teeth to the extent that he felt that he would actually lose them. A familiar fire burnt up his chest and a begging itch in his knuckles clawed through his resolve not to hurt anyone, swallowing his mind into an instinctive pit. He didn't want to fight, but the albino was just begging for it. It was annoying, but that wasn't the worst yet.

"I'm gonna bloody murder you!"

"Ha! You? Murder me?"

What annoyed him the most was that the albino knew very well how hard he was holding himself back from acting this way, and despite that, Koichi still did everything for him to actually lose it. Grimmjow didn't understand the reasons himself, but the albino wasn't always like this. The man just had his own weird ways he supposed. Everything always turned out well in the end anyway.

"Excuse me," a female voice called. The two males, who were at each other's throat, grudingly pulled away from each other with a hateful snort but their blazing eyes kept their line; nonetheless, the woman dressed in a maid's uniform went on and bowed down to present another woman sitting on a wheelchair. "This is the young master, Ulquiorra Schiffer-sama. Please take care of the young master to the best of your abilities." With another bow, she left quietly.

Two pairs of awestruck eyes glazed over the pale skin of the _young master_ that was made even more to shine with the expensive jade kimono wrapped around the lithe form along with the unevenly cut ebony hair that was simply left to flow freely like the river, the tips just barely touching the narrow shoulders.

"Tha's... 'er?" the albino blinked. "She's fuckin' hot."

"That's your dick talking_._" Grimmjow nudged his partner's head, anger seemingly already forgotten. "Shut it up."

"Wai'aminute." The blue-haired raised a brow as the albino stalked towards the female sitting innocently on her moving chair. Koichi bent down and stared close to her face for a moment and then started walking around in circles around her with his thumb pressed against his chin. Seemingly serious for once in his life, Grimmjow crossed his arms and let him do whatever that was floating around his crazy mind. "Oh!" He jammed his fist on an open palm as his lips formed a small 'o'.

"What is it?"

Koichi smirked and stood behind the emotionless female. "Ya ready?"

"...yeah?"

The albino chuckled as he threw his arms forward, clutching at Ulquiorra's chest. "No boobs."

Grimmjow flushed and flinched in place of the impassive female who had just lost her chest's virginity if she hadn't already... or if there's actually such a thing. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!"

"...gropin'?" he unworriedly answered, even repeated his fumbling at the _breastless _woman to even accentuate his point.

"Quit that!"

**xxx**

So maybe he really did hate the albino. Maybe... did. _Ugh..._

Grimmjow groaned and stopped on his tracks, leaning forward on the wheelchair's backrest to massage his aching head. How did he get into this again? Wait, scratch that. He didn't want to remember. His headache was strainful enough as it is. No more need to add more oil to the freaking fire.

Raising a piece of paper, he reviewed the list of schedule given to him by the pig-tailed servant and twisted his wrist a bit to check the time. This was such a mundane task, and yet the pain in his head didn't seem to have any plans of letting up throughout. Oh, how he hated his life right now... and curse that stupid freak! Really! How more _inconsiderate_ and annoying can one person get?!

He turned back to the paper and skimmed through the bloody list. What the heck was this for anyway? Everyone should have the right to decide for oneself and freely do what he wanted to do! Wouldn't anyone feel too cramped up with this list going on? C'mon, even if it's a life of a blind person, she still should have her freedom to do whatever she wants, right?

Right... what in the fucking hell happened to him that now he was worried with someone that wasn't himself? He hated people! He hated those cursed selfish and greedy bastards...

_Tch._

"Garden, right?" Grimmjow dully asked, not really waiting for any answer since none would come anyway no matter how long or how nicely he'd ask. Not that he'd ever ask _nicely_. He was just doing his job... but hey, so what if he chooses to ignore the schedule and wing it? It wasn't like Ulquiorra would _see_ where she was brought to. Regardless, the blue-haired guardian made their way towards the... _waitaminute._

He dilligently fought back against his eye to twitch, seriously, but failed miserably. Slapping his annoying eye, he cussed, "Damn it!!!"

What was he thinking about? He didn't know where the garden is! Sure, he was given a good tour earlier by the woman called Lemoney. _No, wait_... Nolemey? Molonomy? Nomony? Nomonominy? What's that girl's name again? Oh, whatever! It didn't matter. What _could've_ mattered was that he _should've_ paid more attention to... whatever the woman's name was. But even if he was there listening only half-assedly, he still should've been able to pick up a thing or two from it, right?

_**Twitch. Twitch.**_

Oh, curse it all! Where was that annoying partner of his when he actually needed him?!

"_Shiro_!" he irritatingly screamed, but only his own voice echoing down the hall answered his devasted call. How lucky he was to be lost in a stupid mansion with only... wait. Ulquiorra should know where they were, shouldn't she? But come to think of it, she had not moved nor talked ever since he had seen her. Was she even alive? Maybe she was kind of brain-dead? But those kind of people can't go around without those big machines, right? Or maybe...

"Hey," Grimmjow started, "Are you deaf?"

_Oh, great, Grimmjow._ He groaned, _What a smart question. A deaf would _probably_ be able to answer that._

The blue-haired guardian rolled his eyes, turning his back at the blind and assumed deaf woman. If the woman was just mute, she could just nod her head or something, right? It wasn't also impossible that she was mute and deaf at the same time. Ulquiorra was also on a wheel-chair, perhaps she was also crippled?

Grimmjow turned his eyes down to the floor. He had never thought it was possible before: common capabilities of humans all absent in one person. He furrowed his brows as he tried to imagine what it was like to see and hear nothing... that could be likened to death itself, right? No day and night. No images and sounds. No nothing. It was a life of nothing—that is if you could still consider it _living_.

_I really shouldn't have agreed on this._ He sighed, rubbing circles on his temples and fighting off the shaky feeling around his eyes even before it turned into full force twitching.

Sure, Grimmjow hated people, but that didn't mean that he was heartless. One reason why he hated interacting was because he always found it hard to get along with other people. Most of the time, his attempts to socialize would either get recognized as a way to get someone into bed or to coax a no holds barred fight—not that he hated getting into fights, he loved it more than he would ever love himself as a matter of fact. He had just gotten tired of trying, and truth be told, it was kind of insulting for him whenever he tried.

He flexed his shoulders and neck, straightening his back. That was enough thinking for the day. He should get on with his job.

_Schedules aren't made for nothing._ Grimmjow told himself, looking one last time at Ulquiorra's list of schedules. Still, though, he wasn't sure what to feel about the god damn list that was as long as his arm-length, but he supposed it was there to make the illusion that Ulquiorra was normal...

_Damn it._

...and somehow alive.

**xxx**

The first day was over for Grimmjow and his partner in guarding the only daughter of the Schiffers, and so far, it was going surprisingly well. Not to mention Grimmjow hadn't gone crazy with all the people he was forced to associate himself with which was something the albino was still disbelieving of. The way he had known the hothead, this was something he never imagined that would come true. Grimmjow was just not someone who surely didn't even know how to use _we_ and _our._

"Hey, _Shiro._" The bulkier man grumbled, lying down to his bed which was situated just a few doors away from Ulquiorra's own. He crossed his arms underneath his head and stared up to the ceiling where shadows danced with the weak light of the radiant moon.

"Yah?"

"Let's switch jobs."

"Nah, I dun' like _boobless_ chicks."

"We're not here to get you a good lay, you sick perv." Grimmjow groaned, resisting the urge to jump out of his bed and attack the albino who was sitting by the window pane. "Lemme do the patrolling for this one."

"An' miss th' chance of seein' ya blow yer head of? No way." The albino snickered, "Wha'? She a chatterbox?"

"She's mute."

"Oh?" the Japanese turned his head to look at his partner's form shifting on the top bunk of the bed, "Then wha's yer problem? If she's mute and she's blind, 'lso prob'ly deaf... is gonna be like takin' care of a thing."

"She's not a thing." the blue-haired guardian turned to his side, "She's just..."

"Is what?"

"Don't know... unlucky, I think."

The albino stood up and left his place by the window to take his bed, "Then maybe ya should bring 'er to Ikkaku an' get some luck from 'im." He snickered, waiting for his partner to somehow lighten up and do the same... but what answered this attempt of _comforting_ of his was a long and awkward moment of silence.

"Yeah..." was Grimmjow's weak reply, wiping off the large grin on the albino's lips. "Maybe I should..."

"Don't tell me ya like 'er." Came the albino's rather serious counter after a long pause. "Ya know 'ow it is when that crazy bastard finds out 'bout things like this."

"I don't care what Zaraki thinks."

"Then yer admittin' tha' ya like 'er?"

"...No."

"Yeah, sure. Fuckin' deny all ya want, ya pussy."

Grimmjow no longer replied. He bit his lip and furrowed his brows as he remembered how Ulquiorra looked, sitting on her wheelchair completely immobile. Her greenish gray eyes were really beautiful, Grimmjow noted and noticed, but she always looked past everything. He assumed that it was because she was blind, but he could still get this uneasy feeling with her like she was already dead. The daughter of the Schiffers was also kind of cold, not that surprising with how pale her skin was, but it seemed as if there was just one last lit up candle somewhere insider her that was attaching her to the living world. It was as if she was just waiting for someone or something to happen before she...

"Grimmjow." The albino called, snapping the blue-haired guardian out of his thoughts. "Something's happening."

**xxx**

The very second his partner's words reached his ears, he found himself scrambling back to the blind female's room. It didn't matter that he ran into closed doors and sharp corners with his partner's healthy laughter echoing behind him, because the only thing that his mind was able to comprehend was that Ulquiorra could be in danger.

He couldn't let that happen.

Grimmjow slammed the door open, vehemently searching for the light switch against the wall. He pressed the indent that he felt on the wall, almost slamming, and then the lights flicked on, revealing the lithe form of the raven-haired curled up on the floor.

_Shit!_

He ran inside, scooping the form gently in his arms. Grimmjow quickly checked if the woman was breathing, raising the body up to his ear and feeling the breath on his skin. Good enough, it was there, slowly and smoothly. It washed Grimmjow with abundant relief, inwardly showing with a deep sigh.

Ulquiorra's dull green eyes slowly opened.

"Are you okay?" he worriedly asked, pulling the frail body closer to his own until it was easy for him to stand without letting go of her. Not really intending for the daughter to stand, Grimmjow was surprised to see that she was well balanced with her own two feet.

"Well, wha's cookin' here, Grimmy?" came the albino's slightly screeching voice, "Aggressive much?"

Grimmjow blinked, the words of his partner coming to him rather slow this time... and then he realized his arm went around the blind daughter's small hips while his other one was wrapped around the shoulders. Reality hitting him quick, Grimmjow jerked away from the female with a violent blush, growling at his hysterically laughing partner.

"Fuck you."

The albino shrugged, the large grin still present on his features, "I'd rather have ya tellin' tha' t' 'er."

"Shut the fuck up,_ Shiro_." He growled low, sending off his best death glare. "Why are you here, anyway?"

"Wha'? Ain't I allowed t' worry 'bout ya no more now that ya found yerself a girlfriend?"

"I told you to quit it, you bastard." He muttered, turning back to the unmoving Ulquiorra, and lifted her up to his arms. Grimmjow carefully walked over to the bed and laid the female down gently, fixing the mattress and the blankets to give more comfort to the clients' daughter.

"Aww... ain't tha' motherfuckin' sweet?"

"I told you to shut up!" Grimmjow fumed, twisting around and clenching his fists. He was about to run and tackle his still snickering partner, but he was held back by a hand on his wrist. He turned back at the woman lying on the bed, surprised at the amount of strength that she had to be able to pull him back when he was about to attack.

"Ul...quiorra?"

In the low light, Grimmjow thought he saw those greenish gray orbs move and focus on him. It was the very first motion he saw the woman do, and it surprised him because it gave him the impression that she could somehow _see_. He met her eyes in a long period of time, leaving Grimmjow there standing awkwardly silent.

"Wha' happened?" the albino cocked his head, noticing the hold up. He made a move to get closer, but Grimmjow signaled him not to come, so he kept his ground.

The orbs that were once so lifeless soon closed as the small hand that held Grimmjow's was slowly letting go. Ulquiorra was falling asleep, but Grimmjow still couldn't get over the shock of it. Once Ulquiorra had fully released his hold, the blue-haired guardian willed himself to leave, turning around and meeting his partner who was standing by the door way.

"So?"

"Nothing." He muttered, passing through the albino without sparing a glance.

"Don't give me tha' shit."

Grimmjow stopped on his tracks, sighing, "Fine."

"So wha's up?"

"I just..." he turned to his side and leaned back to the wall, rubbing the back of his neck as if he was put in a very uncomfortable position. The albino eyed him warily but said nothing of the awkward attitude he was displaying. "For a moment, I thought I heard her speak."

The Japanese raised a brow, "I thought you said she was mute?"

"Yeah," he said weakly, "I did."

"Okaaay..." the albino drawled, turning away for a while to hide his awkward reaction from his partner, "So what did ya think th' mute told ya?"

"She..."

"She?"

Grimmjow furrowed his brows, "...forget it."

"Wha'?"

"I was being stupid." He shook his head and walked back towards the Schiffers' daughter's room, "Forget about it"

"Oi, where are ya goin'?"

"I'm gonna spend the night with her."

"I was jus' kidding with the fuckin' thing, Grimm! Dun' do it!"

"Asshole, I'm not like you."

"B-but..."

"Good night, _shiro_." He muttered before walking back inside the room and closing the door behind him. Grimmjow, at first, just stared at the form on the four-poster bed that was softly accentuated by the light coming from the glasses that served as the wall on the opposite side. He had found Ulquiorra on the floor as if she wanted to crawl out to the large veranda. There was some ruckus a few moments ago... perhaps she saw someone out there?

Grimmjow furrowed his brows. _Saw someone?_

"_Stay."_ He remembered the soft voice of the pale woman that sounded as if it was whispered directly into his ear. Surprisingly, it wasn't the _common_ pitch of female voices. It was actually kind of low like she wasn't... a _she_.

Grimmjow shook his head at the absurd thought. First the crippled got to stand, next the mute had talked, and now females were growing things they shouldn't grow. Had he truly been this affected with having to spend time with people beside the albino? Oh, c'mon, even how much he hated people, he knew it shouldn't be _this_ bad.

He sighed and looked around, searching for something to sit on.

Well, the daughter of his clients asked him to stay, right? So there's nothing wrong in doing just that. It wasn't like he was developing feelings for the blind! He was totally not like the perverted albino, right? He was just trying to hold Ulquiorra carefully, and he was _so not_ trying to grope her or anything. His arms just happened to be there!

_Tch._

No, really! He wasn't.

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**FEN:** Eye twitching can be caused by eight things: stress, tiredness, eyestrain, caffeine, alcohol, dry eyes, nutritional imbalances, or allergies. Guess what's causing Grimm's. XD


	2. Second Day

**FEN:** I changed the title to Co-Existing because I just found out that the previous one had already been used for four times already on different Bleach pairings... and it really didn't have much connection to the fic anymore anyway since I tweaked my story board again just before I went on with this chapter. Sorry about that. D8

Besides the story board, I also rewrote a few parts of chapter one. Nothing that had direct connection to the main plot has changed, so you wouldn't miss anything even if you decide not to read it. It's almost just _Shiro_ being more pervy and annoying around Grimmjow, having the conversations a livelier, and everyone being a little more responsive. I got to say, _Shiro_ is a really fun character to use. :3

Thank you for all the wonderful 12 reviews! I will _Internet!Glomp_ you all! *GLOMP* 8D

* * *

**Co-Existing.  
**Chapter Two.

Grimmjow awoke to the sound of a pleasant melody, coaxing him sweetly into consciousness along with the warmth of the sun's rays caressing his tan skin. Still dazed, the smooth rhythm met no resistance as it swarmed and crawled all over him to take him back to the unconscious world.

Was it a piano piece being played? It seemed quite so, but who was the one playing?

_Hm..._

He couldn't take a guess...

He felt far too relaxed to move from his place and find out.

**xxx**

"...itty. Rise an' shine, sleepy kitty. Kitty,"

The blue-haired guardian woke up the second time that morning with a melodic sound pulling him to the surface consciousness, although this time it wasn't in any way _pleasant_. The very second it reached his ears and registered in his brain, his lips automatically locked into a deep scowl. Mornings that started like this had never been once pleasant.

Grimmjow sat up with a grunt and rubbed his aching neck, having spent the whole night sleeping in an awkward position on a chair definitely had its downs. "What?" he muttered sleepily to the albino peering at him curiously.

The albino smirked; then tackled him off the wooden chair and into the gloriously carpeted floor. "Good mornin', buddy!"

See what it means? Although mornings started like this had been quite frequently made lately, Grimmjow just couldn't grasp whatever concept of it. Above everything, he hated being touched, but _Shiro_ just _had_ to have the habit of forgetting things like it and the habit of doing them every time.

"Agh! Get off, _Shiro_!" He struggled and growled as he clawed at the pale and long arms tightly wrapped around his torso for freedom. "The hell are you here for?!"

"'is yer wake up call, _stuuuuupid._" The albino drawled, entangling his partner's furiously kicking legs with his own to immobilize them. Smirking, he tightened his hold even more and pulled Grimmjow's blabbering mouth into his clothed chest to muffle it. Koichi giggled at the strong vibrations it brought.

"Mpfh! Mmfhhntt! Mhmmmnnn!! Mnmfhtt!!!"

"I do'wanna let ya go, kitty," he whined, rolling Grimmjow's now flushed face into his chest. "I was so cold an' lonely sleepin' without ya las' night."

"Mmfhhtt!!!"

The albino raised a brow, not quite getting what his partner wanted to say. He slid his hand up to Grimmjow's light blue hair and jerked it back a little to see his face. "Wha's that, Grimm?"

"Fuck you!" He gasped out before he was forced back into the albino's black shirt.

"Yer no fun, Grimm." Koichi muttered, shoving Grimmjow's face into his chest more to the point that he actually began feeling the man's spit getting smeared all over him. "Bu' wha'ever! Ichi owes me some money anyhow. Thanks fer yer patronage, kitty. I really don' see wha—ow! Wha' the hell, dammit?! Don' go sinkin' those canines on me!"

"You asked for it." Grimmjow wiped his lips with the back of his fists and moved off of the hissing albino. He stood up and walked into the adjoined bathroom where there was a mirror to check his teeth. "Tch. You made my teeth bleed."

"Yer th' one with th' bitin' fetish, kitty. Dun' blame this on me."

"This wouldn't have happened if you weren't being such a sap..." he muttered over his shoulder and then turned back to the mirror to check more closely. Pressing his thumb against his fangs, he smeared the blood all over his teeth until all the color was gone and spitted down the drain.

"I missed ya, ya kno'."

"Whatever." Grimmjow clicked his tongue and then walked back to the room. "Now, get out."

"Whhhaaaa'?? Yer gonna kick me out 'lready?"

"In my entire life, that's a question that will always be rhetorical to me." He nudged the albino's head. "Get up and get out."

"Noooooo~" the albino seized Grimmjow's leg and began to whine, "Dun' send me out 'lready! I'll do anythin' ya wan'! Jus' dun' send me away!"

"Gah! You had too much coffee again, didn't you?!" the blue-haired growled and stomped around, dragging the albino, who was on his stomach, all around the supposed room where everyone was supposed to always keep calm and quiet. "Shit! I totally forgot to tell those maids about it!"

"Stop movin' 'round, kitty. Yer hurtin meh~"

"Ain't that the point?! Let go!"

"Bu' I wanna' help yaaaaa~" the albino continued to whine much to Grimmjow's annoyance, but had luckily been nice to let go of the taller man's long leg although with a blatant pout. "I wanna give 'er a baaaaaaath~"

"...a bath?" one crooked brow rose, "What're you bitching about now?"

"Dun' tell me yer jus' gonna push 'er 'round 'thout lettin' 'er take a bath, Grimm!" Grimmjow suddenly turned away at this and grumbled. "Well? Were ya gonna?"

"Of course not! Why the hell would I do that?!"

"Uh-huh,"

"Shut up!"

"I ain't sayin' anythin'." The albino shrugged, getting up to his feet. "Well, whether yer lyin' or not, lemme do t'is choir fer ya, 'kay?"

"Whatever makes you happy."

"Tha's jus' wha' I love 'bout kitties." Koichi grinned and giggled, pushing the blue-haired guardian out of the room. "Now stay where ya 're until I call ya, 'kay?"

"Hn." Grimmjow crossed his arms and let his partner usher him outside. Once he was _locked_ out for some mysterious reason, he began to look around and take in the different atmosphere floating around the large halls. It was quiet. So awfully quiet. He had seen lots of servants the first day they came here, but where were they? And what was with the crazy paintings covering every inch of the high walls? The paintings seemed really angry or something as if they'd shout if they had a voice, and nothing could be really made out with all the seemingly random splashes. Was abstract supposed to look this way? Something looked really off.

"WHA' IN TH' FUCKIN' HELL?!?"

Grimmjow jerked in surprise, all thoughts seemingly fell down the drain, and stared wide-eyed at the white door embedded with golden linings. "_Shiro_?" he raised a brow and cautiously walked next to it. "You okay?"

"Un... Grimm..." the albino's voice came rather softly. "I'm m'kay."

"What happened?"

"I's... n-nothing, kitty." the albino answered and sounded pretty much unsure from the other side of the door. "Dun' break th' door or somethin'... an' go crazy again."

"That's shit. I never did that."

"Yeah... and I ain't a freak." Grimmjow fought his eye's cursed urge to twitch at his partner's sarcastic reply. He was serious! Nothing like that happened before! Why would he do something crazy just for the sake of his idiotic friend! If anything, he'd be more than thankful to anyone who'd end the albino's life right then and there! Right?

"Whatever. So what happened to you?"

Oh, that's nice. He didn't throw back any smart retort. Nice. Really nice. It's as if he was guilty which he was _so_ not.

"I jus' got surprised... 'bout somethin'."

"What _something_?"

"Uhh... I dunno if... well... maybe... uh, I dun' think... t'is..."

"Spit it out already."

"'m not 'ntirely sure 'ow t' tell ya, bu'... "

"_Shiro_..."

"well... i's a... bird? worm? Somethin'?"

"Seriously, _Shiro_. What is it? Is it a bird or a worm?"

"A rod?"

"...a what? Can't you straighten out what you think first before saying anything?"

"Jus' call that pig-tailed chick... I think I'm gonna be sick."

**xxx**

"So what happened in there?" Grimmjow asked as he crossed his arms and leaned back at the door frame. His partner had walked out of Ulquiorra's room looking genuinely sick almost half an hour ago, and he still looked the same with his hands either massaging his woozy head or his protesting stomach. For what reason, the blue-haired guardian has yet to find out; however, the albino didn't seem to have any plans of spilling the beans about it at the moment. Again, he didn't know the reason why.

Koichi snickered, "Got ya curious, didn' I?"

"No."

"Yeah, deny all ya wan'. It ain't like I gotcha mem'rized already." He shrugged, peering past his partner and at the raven-haired who was being dressed over the bed. The pig-tailed lady had just finished giving the _young master_ the bath that the albino had initially volunteered to give if only hadn't seen what he had seen. It really scared him shitless the very second he laid eyes on it. He would've know that _that_ was there? But it didn't seem like the maid had the same problems that he had. Everybody knew about it then? Well, of course except for him and Grimmjow since they were new...

Still really weird, though. Just rethinking of it made the albino shudder.

"Are you really okay?"

"Wha'? Yer worried of me now?" the albino chuckled, "Dun' worry, kitty. Ya'll fin' all 'bout it sooner or later."

"How about now?"

"Nah," he shrugged, "I ain't gonna spoil my own fun."

**xxx**

Grimmjow sighed, setting his client's daughter's wheelchair by the small river that split the enormous garden in two. What was with gardens and this blind girl? It kind of annoyed him to be in the same places he was at just yesterday. It made him feel like _he_ had a schedule! And he hated schedules! It made him think of the past... made him think of...

_Argh!_ He slapped his face with both of his hands, forcefully driving his mind far away from where his mind rather not treaded into. His memories weren't fun to reminisce. He hated it the most if he had to feel anything towards it. Grumbling, he inched a sharp rock in front of the chair's wheel and secured it from any movement. He glanced around the vast yard one last time and then jumped back into the sturdy branches of a nearby tree, swinging from one to another until he had reached the highest wooden platform.

He had always appreciated personal space... besides, he really felt awkward being with her always. Even his partner gave him time to enjoy solitude once in a while. That crazy jerk could be really nice but only when and how he wanted to.

Blue eyes gazed down at the fragile form by the river, taking in the contrast of Ulquiorra's dark hair to the clear stream close to her. Grimmjow felt weird every second he was with her, she made him think of things he never thought of before. The feeling was strange because he never used to care. He always believed that every man was only to himself, but her... she made him think of her. It was so much that it was disturbing. He felt sorry for her, he supposed.

He grumbled as he forced his eyes to turn away. He had so many questions and it was totally infuriating! He slapped himself even before his eye started to twitch in annoyance upon himself and before he got to think of it even deeper, but he just couldn't help it. He couldn't understand why he felt as if it was hurting him to think how Ulquiorra could feel if she were to find out that what she called life wasn't even half of what it truly was.

Scratching his head, he cast another glance at the peaceful woman on her wheelchair before flipping down the branches and landing just next to her. He moved in front of the pale-skinned woman and stared at her closely, wondering just how it could be like. Ulquiorra must be in some kind of _special_ pain, some kind of pain that could be relived also only in a special way. Something Grimmjow hadn't and will never experience in his life.

"Grimm," The blue-haired guardian flinched upon someone suddenly calling his name, stumbling back and almost falling into the shallow river. The albino, who called him, broke into a fit of laughter as he came closer and closer with his hands crossed behind his head.

"What do you want?" Grimmjow growled and glared, seeing the familiar smirk on his partner's face. "Ain't you supposed to be resting?"

"'m doin' daily rounds." The albino stopped just a foot away from Grimmjow who was shuffling on the ground to get back up to his feet. He stared down at him with amusement filling his eyes and let his arms dangle by his side. Keeping the large smile on his face, he continued, "I'm fine. How 'bout ya? What were _you_ doin'?"

"Nothing." He straightening up, and walked towards the tree he had jumped from.

"Looked like ya were plannin' somethin'." And when no reply was given, the albino's annoying trademark smirk slowly began to spread across the pale lips that were on an equally pale face like wildfire. "...you _were_ planning something, weren't you? Ya big naughty boy?"

Grimmjow snorted and grimaced, choosing not to face the obviously amused albino. "There was dirt on her face."

"Yeah, right. Like I'd buy that."

"Stop asking me if you have something against the truth." He graciously took off and retreated back to his spot high in the branches, looking down at his partner who was staring back at him. He grunted and crossed his arms behind his head, leaning back to the fat trunk. "Now leave me alone."

"Ya shouldn't run too far up, kitty cat. Ya might get stuck."

"Scram, you freak."

"Come down."

"Give me a reason to." Grimmjow nonchalantly replied, turning his back at Koichi.

"Gift."

"Hn?" Blue eyes blinked.

"Come down."

"Come up."

"Lazy ass." The albino muttered and threw the _gift_ he had been holding to the presented back at him, the hard bind successfully hitting the one hundred mark that was invisibly marked through Grimmjow's shining blue hair.

"Shit!"

"Oh, bull's eye." He said, this time it was his turn to sound offhand.

"Fuck you!" Grimmjow growled as he twisted and threw the book back down with all the force he managed to gather in his arm within that split second that the blasted gift was about to fall back down. "In your fa—OW!" But his annoying albino partner proved to be much faster and accurate as the same book returned to hit him square in the face... exactly what he was going to say. The only problem was that it was in _his_.

"Love ya, kitty!" And with that, strangely, the albino happily left him alone with his throbbing face injury.

His annoying partner now out of sight, Grimmjow frowned at the gift his friend had left. He raised it close to his face and stared at it like it was growing limbs only to find out that it was one of those idiotic guides to this and that, and apparently, the one on his hand was the book about how to get along well with people.

It almost made him laugh.

"_So wha're ya in fer?_" He remembered the first time they had met. He was hauled into a juvenile prison then for continuous street fights, obliterating peace, and vandalizing public and private properties. Rebellious teenagers neglected since childhood, what else would you expect?

"_Fuck off."_

"_Heh, ya got guts. I think I'll like ya."_

"_I hate you. Who are you anyway?"_

"_I dun' have a name."_

"_...that must suck."_

"_It kinda does. Wha' 'bout ya? Wha's yer name?"_

"_Grimmjow. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez."_

"_Whoa. Tha's a weird name."_

"_It's weirder to have none."_

"_Touché."_

The albino was just eleven then, and yet he talked far past his age. Only by that, Grimmjow was able to roughly understand what the brat had gone through. Years after that, when in one way or another they just keep on bumping into each other until they got stuck together permanently, _Shiro_ had opened up his life story to him and made him realize that not everyone had hard childhood years. Some just couldn't be children like someone who had to stop being a child at the early age of nine.

Grunting, Grimmjow shook his head to rid of the memories of the distant past. That was almost a decade ago. It was enough time to let it go but not to forget. The albino had changed so much over the years that he didn't need anymore to be reminded of his goal. The Japanese was fairly well.

Opening the book on a random page, the blue-haired guardian began to read the bolded block of letters his bright eyes had instinctively fell on. "Lesson 1, step 2: Don't be annoying." He said blandly.

_**Twitch.**_

He isn't annoying... right?

Grimmjow jumped down and ran towards the mute woman sitting by the river, edgy at the thought of him being annoying so strangely. "Hey, am I annoying?"

**xxx**

Another end of another day, Grimmjow carried the still seemingly lifeless Ulquiorra to her extravagant four-poster bed and tucked her under the warm sheets. Deeming all things set well enough, he turned off the light from the white lamp and made to leave, but like the nights before, a surprisingly strong grip told him to stay. Maybe he should pull and place his bed here sometime. It'd be a shame if that queen-size foam wouldn't even get the slightest disfigured.

"...fine. But tomorrow I'll be sleeping in my bed, okay?"

"An' who 're ya talkin' to?" came a puzzled and inquiring voice of the albino. "Oh, hold tha' thought. I think I can answer tha' fer one million dollars! An' th' answer iiiiiiiis~ ding, ding, ding, ding!"

Grimmjow rolled his eyes and sighed. _Shiro_ and his antics—always something to look forward to.

"What do you want?"

"Nuthin'." _Shiro_ crossed his arms across his chest and bit his lip, obviously wanting to say more but for some strange reason didn't. The blue-eyed guardian shrugged it off and kept silent although he knew his partner was precisely fidgeting like he was going to combust at any moment now. "'kay, there's somethin'! I'm jealous."

"Yeah, okay."

"Tha's mean, kitty. At least ask why." He pouted. "Bu' whatev'r. Guess I ain't that important anymore."

Grimmjow scoffed, pulling a chair behind him and settling down. "When were _you_ important?"

"Right. Night, kitty."

"Goodnight."

"Love ya, kitty."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes. "Yeah, just fuck off."

"Aww... "

Alone once again with the speechless lady, Grimmjow bent down to fix the thick bed sheets that reached the graciously carpeted floor. Whoever sets stuff in the mansion ought to learn how to conserve stuff; moreover, the weather wasn't that cold for a comforter, just random drizzles that lasted for a few minutes. Wouldn't even know it's raining unless you feel the weak drops yourself. Were they trying to have Ulquiorra's already weak legs actually melt off her bones?

He stood up and grabbed the first layer of sheet that was made of fur. _Tch._ Just touching it made him feel hot... seriously a smart move to silently torture somebody. _Poor girl_.

His blue eyes gazed up at the pale woman's face and noted its flawlessness like a porcelain doll's, so unique and inviting to touch. Maybe he could agree about the albino sometimes. He didn't know about that being _hot_ thing when he was sure it usually goes with big boobs and fat butts going by the albino's usual standards that were set when they were out club-hopping. He didn't know much about beauty or romance, basically because he didn't give a damn.

Grimmjow moved down to examine her face more and found himself agreeing to the words his partner once said. He could agree with _Shiro_ just this once, and it wasn't like anyone was going to find out. He really didn't know anything much about beauty, but yeah... he couldn't deny that he found Ulquiorra befitting to be a personification of that word.

"Yo, Grimmjow,"

_Ack!_ Called man straightened and stiffened, causing the suddenly defiant spine to let out a sickening crack.

"Was' u—" before he was able to complete his greeting, a yellow book flew straight into his face, hitting him upwards to his high-perching nose and wounded something there. "Wha' th' fuck?!" he cussed, gripping his now bleeding nose and glared at his partner who appeared to be equally holding onto a hurting lower back.

"Stop popping anywhere you want like that!" he growled with a tearful eye hardly cracked open. "You're gonna break every bone I have."

"Wha' did I eva' do t' ya?! Is tha' the way yer supposed t' treat a person who jus' recovered?!"

Grimmjow continued to hiss, rubbing his poor, fragile spine. "I thought you're already fine?! Where's your _high-speed regeneration_ shit now?"

"It doesn' work tha' way!"

"Then how the fuck does it work?!"

"It's fer wounds, ya stupid kitty! An' stop yellin' at me!"

"You're the first one who started yelling! _You_ should stop yelling at _me_!"

"Stop yellin' at me!!!" the albino cried again, "I f'rgot to tell ya that I love ya, an' I jus' came back to tell ya tha' I love ya! An' this is wha' ya repay me fer th' gift I got ya 'cause I love ya an' fer worryin' 'bout ya broodin' 'cause I f'rgot to tell ya tha' I—"

"Quit saying it over and over! And you didn't forget, goddamit!" the blue-haired guardian growled, snatching the wooden chair as he was more than willing to give in into the temptation of throwing it at his annoying albino partner. "And for god's sake! Keep your fucking volume down!"

* * *

**FEN:** Oooh~ I missed you, guys! And has everyone heard of the issue about someone plagiarizing Bleach? 8O


	3. First Two Months

**FEN:** Whoa~ can't believe the news hasn't reached this site yet. An American comic "artist" had been _tracing_ some panels of Bleach, Naruto, Hellsing and a lot more other famous manga and published it as his own work entitled "Incarnate". There hasn't been much news about it lately, but last I heard Incarnate's publisher held back all its copies until the issue is resolved. Kubo-sama has been notified about it already, I think, but he hasn't said anything except that he'll check out the comic sometime. I think the plagiarist's name was Nick Simmons... and I have never heard of him before.

Anyhow, going into an entirely new topic, sadly, I think my GrimmUlqui fic streak is about to meet its end. Bleach hasn't been of real interest to me lately and the fact that the GrimmUlqui fandom's dying isn't really helping my will to write either, but I'll finish at least this fic and **Beautiful Stranger**. Everyone's gonna have to say 'bye-bye' to **Remembrance** now, but I might get back to it. I _might_. I'm not really sure.

For anyone who's wondering, I'm gonna wander towards **Katekyo Hitman Reborn** for a little while. Dior Crystal introduced me into a new pairing and I fell in love with it right away. The pairing is **8059** or YamaGoku. I don't have any pairing in KHR that I support other than them, so I think I'll spend my free time writing solely to them or to GrimmUlqui if ever I find my way back here. Hopefully, I will.

Sorry for the long note! Oh, by the way... are people starting to forget that Grimmjow and Shiro are sociopaths (anti-social) here? Because someone I talked to just did. XD

* * *

**Co-Existing.  
Chapter Three.**

Contrary to the morning before, Grimmjow was woken up to strong groans of pain. As it was just a couple of minutes after the old grandfather's clock had sang in alto, his mind was rather slow in absorbing the swift information his ears had been gathering long before he attained consciousness. Sitting up, dazed, his eyes fell upon the scrunched up face of the beautiful maiden, and only when that strange image reached his mind did it began to work.

"Ulquiorra!" He shot up, shocked far beyond he could handle. Having seen a strong reaction the pale face was alarming enough, but to see her squirming like this was something else. Unable to come up with anything, the blue-haired guardian ran off and literally dragged his half-asleep albino partner off the bed and across the servants' quarters to have him ask for help. The first one to answer them was the same old maid with pigtails.

"Wha' happened?" _Shiro_ casually walked in Ulquiorra's sterile white room with his hands stuffed in his pockets and stood beside a surprisingly anxious and fidgety Grimmjow. Whatever happened to his heartless kitty? Just two days and it's down to being domesticated? That's weird. The kitty was stuck in a counseling agency in a larger number of days but nothing good came out of it... only a nice, little, bloody doctor on a stretcher. "Ya okay, Grimm?"

He shook his head.

"Chill, kitty." he raised his arm and wrapped it around his partner's neck, pulling him close. "So 'ows th' prince, lady?"

Grimmjow looked at him confusingly.

"Ah, sorry. Th' _princess_, I mean."

"The young master is fine." The maid replied as she straightened the bed sheets. "The comforter must have simply fallen off during the night. The young master's legs are so sensitive to the cold."

A pair of blue eyes silently turned away.

"I will be on my way." She bowed gracefully. "Have a good night's rest."

"Yeah, same to ya. An' thanks." He waved lazily and held his thoughts firm inside until the woman was out and had closed the door. The albino had recognized the uneasiness hidden behind his partner's eyes from the very moment he came in and had wanted to question it, but knowing Grimmjow, he waited. "So wha' did ya do?"

"I thought it was unnecessary."

"Psh. Yer takin' this too seriously. It ain't yer fault she's got weird stuff goin' on." He playfully tapped Grimmjow's head before unwrapping his arm around him. Yawning, the albino turned his back and walked towards the door. "Go back t' sleep. G'night, Grimm. Love ya."

Grimmjow swallowed thickly and replied hoarsely. "Good night."

**xxx**

The next time Grimmjow woke up, there was nothing to be heard but the sweet song of the birds dancing in the air at the garden outside the room. He was slightly surprised not to be woken up again by the sound of a piano piece being played rather masterfully. He thought that after that weird episode during midnight, Ulquiorra would strangely be out of bed again, playing the white grand piano situated at the slightly elevated platform at the far corner of the room. Of course, that was just Grimmjow's imagination being grand.

"Gooooooooooooo—OW!" the wooden door trembled. "Wha' th' fuck?!"

The blue-haired guardian sighed and stood up. "The door's locked, _Shiro_. Go be somewhere else until the caffeine wears off."

"Whaaaa'?! Nooo!!! Dun' do this to meh~"

"I'm serious, dumbass."

**xxx**

Outside, the rain fell hard. The irregular drumming sound of the heavy rain drops against the roof filled the room as everything else was overcome as easily as the absence of sound. Grimmjow and Ulquiorra were stuck behind glass windows and wooden doors for the whole day, and Grimmjow cursed his luck for it. He hated staying in a place for such a long time. It made him relive memories that, under no circumstances, he would never want to remember.

The guardian stood by the glass wall, taking in the difference made by the water rushing down its surface to the landscape outside. The view revealed entirely the parts of the large garden that Grimmjow hadn't brought Ulquiorra to yet or at least he himself hadn't seen yet. The yard was beautiful despite being slightly flooded and the light of the flowers temporary dulled by the sunless sky. Nature truly has its own strange wonders, it seemed.

"Ngh..."

The croaking sound took the blue-haired attention in that split second and had the man walking back to the source almost at the very same second it sounded. Grimmjow knelt by the raven-haired's cold, pale legs and stared up at the pained face almost as if he was feeling it too. It was the very same expression from last midnight, but at least now he knew what to do.

"It's alright..." he muttered, running his warm hand over the freezing legs. "I'm gonna get some warm water and..."

As he stood up to leave, Ulquiorra held him back, her grasp still with the same soft and gently hand of hers. It made something throb beneath Grimmjow's chest, making him feel a lot stranger than he had already been feeling these past few days. There was something about her that was making him feel this way. Perhaps it was the same thing that had been making him have those strange thoughts about life and shit? No matter.

He tried his best to return the warm feeling to the hand that held his ever so gently. No one had touched him this way before... it had always hurt, he remembered. There was not a time that he didn't feel pain when he was touched except for now. It was hard even for him to imagine how Ulquiorra would've been now if she went through the same things that he had. Would her touch still be this almost loving? Or would she also have the hands that feared to touch and be touched? There were a lot of possibilities, and the fact that out of the million possibilities this one had to happen hurt the most.

Ulquiorra could've been someone everyone wanted to be. With her gentle hands, she could've been a doctor or a nurse, saving lives. She could've been a teacher or a musician, giving inspiration to all. She could've also been a mother of great children, a wife to someone who is worthy enough of her. She could've been a lot of thing Grimmjow would never could've been no matter how much he wanted it. He's just not suited for a life as perfect as something she could've lead without her senses robbed of her.

These feelings... they were more than strange to him. They were like aliens from outer space. Every time he was with her, he would feel a lot of weirdness coursing through his body. He could never name them, but surely it was only exclusive when Ulquiorra was near. It unbelievably felt good, almost unrealistic. If possible, he'd never leave her side again.

The rain continued to pitter-patter outside but in some strange way, it was drowned out of Grimmjow's consciousness. Strangely, everything belonged to her. There was nothing else in his mind at the moment but her and emotions she brought out within him. There was this prickly yet comforting feeling in their hands and it kind of made picture a serene flowing river a lot easier, or a sparkly fountain spouting crystal water.

It felt... w_arm_.

He had never felt this good ever before. Giving in to the alien feeling, Grimmjow closed his eyes and let himself be swallowed by the relaxing images his mind kept on giving. It still felt frighteningly good. As if it was the most tempting thing in the world, he laid his head over Ulquiorra's blanketed lap and there, more of the strange emotions blossomed like flowers in spring.

_Spring..?_

"_Na, na, na, na~ Grimmjow!"_

"_What?"_

"_It's meltin'! Meltin'!"_

"_What is?"_

"_Wha' do ya think?"_

"_Your ugly face?"_

"_Th' snow, moron! It's spring! Spring!"_

"_Will you stop repeating your words, brat? So what if it's spring?"_

"_Duh, ol' man! Spring! It means new life! New life! Ya promised, didn' cha? Tha' we'll start a new life once spring comes?"_

"_Huuuuuh?! I don't remember saying anything like that. That's bullshit."_

"_Ya promised, dammit!"_

"_Hey, watch your mouth, kid! You're just fourteen!"_

Starting life all over... Grimmjow always wondered if it really was possible. So many years have passed, about six or seven, and yet the memories still haunt him like it was only yesterday. Reopening his eyes with these vivid thoughts in mind, he glanced up and met a beautiful pair of faded jades looking down at him.

As strange as it had already been, Grimmjow continued to feel like he was in a different dimension... or perhaps even in heaven. The tension he didn't even know he had on his back was suddenly relieved and the knot of his brows slowly being undone. Gently, a finger began to dance against his relaxed cheek, a certain pattern being repeated over and over.

Was she trying to get a message across? The continues gentle waltz across his skin was almost as if it was saying:

_...'Thank you'._

**xxx**

It was such a distant memory, but both of them remember it just as clear as yesterday was in their mind. It was more than ten years ago since they first met, and of all the perfect places to meet, it was at a juvenile prison. Even though both of them had knowledge that no other minor did, by law they were still children and problem children go there. It was actually a common place, at least for them.

"So what're you in fer?"

Rebellious teenagers neglected since childhood, what else did you expect? But behind everything else, regardless of how far they have tread away from who and what they should have been, reasons lie somewhere within: Grimmjow was a neglected child of a single workaholic parent; Koichi, beneath the vigorous facade, was the personalization of insecurity. No matter how tough they looked, both only asked for attention and acceptance. Of course, they would never voice that out.

About two years after meeting at prison, outside the metal bars they met again. It just wasn't just once, or twice... or thrice. They kept on bumping into each other like they meant to see each other so often. And so, like two magnets repelling each other, somehow they became sources of each others confidence, and that fire continued to burn until it swallowed almost everything. They fell into a path were insecurities no longer mattered as long as they walked into it together, or at least it was forgotten for a while.

Fighting, stealing... you name it, but at least they never took a life or they never have yet. Koichi was into torture, hurting them just for the fun of it or picking up a fight because he missed tasting blood so much, but he never took a life. He was just having fun, and Grimmjow didn't mind as long as they wouldn't get hauled back into prison or in any institution. He hated being confined, hated being reminded how small he was in the world. He hated being treated like he was insignificant and weak, like he didn't know something everyone else does.

Grimmjow denied psychiatric help because even they didn't understand. Even them, who were supposed to understand him the most, treated him like he was a kitty who only needed a ball of yarn. His life was far more complicated than that. It wasn't like jigsaw puzzles that lost a piece or teddy bear that lost an arm. They needed something that couldn't be found there—something that couldn't be found in normality.

They needed something different... something special, but they already gave up on it. There was no use seeking for something that didn't exist. They kept on stumbling upon interesting people, though. It was enough to make the crazy ride worthwhile.

"Who are you brats?" the insanely large man with scars all over his face and body asked, pointing his bony hand at them as he asked.

Grimmjow groaned, idly cradling his beat-up face with a fist as he crossed his legs. "_Shiro, _a runaway parasite." he casually said, jerking a thumb at the direction of his still overly ecstatic partner, "I'm Grimmjow."

"A runaway, eh? How 'bout you?"

"I'm _king_," he continued, brushing his dirtied pants as he stood up, "and I'm going to destroy you."

Because of their silent search, they found a better life working under a mighty monster, who beat the both of them up bare handedly. But from there, somehow they regained hope. Because, who knows? Maybe this was where they should've been years ago, a place where they blended well. A place they belonged to.

"So e're gonna work like cops now?" The now sixteen-year old albino giggled, prancing around the traditional Japanese hallways of woods and paper.

"...probably."

"Ah! Na, na, na~ Grimmjow!" he stopped cheerfully by the open space, "It's meltin'! Meltin'!"

Or maybe this would be where they would find what they needed to find. Living like this, with almost like family, like normal people, under one old and silly roof with weird people like them: a brat, a monster, a human cue ball, and a narcissist... Yeah, it was their kind of family. Two additional freaks wouldn't change anything so much.

**xxx**

"...mjow. Ne, Grimmjow..."

Blue orbs woke up and slowly gained focus, his other four senses doing the same as consciousness resurfaced. Grimmjow carefully raised his head and groggily looked up at his partner's grinning face. He frowned right away. He knew what that smile meant and it never meant good. Well, considering how the leech found him, sleeping on a woman's lap, the bastard wouldn't possible let it pass.

Groaning, he asked unkindly, "What do you want?"

"Wipe yer drool, Grimm." The albino snickered, tapping his finger at the edge of his own lips. "Dun' wan' th' queen of th' house t' see like tha'."

"I do_ not_ drool." He muttered but wiped his mouth with the back of his fist anyhow. "But, queen of what now?"

"Th' _young master_'s mum's gonna come home t'night." He said, leaning back at one of the posts of the four poster bed, with the meaningful smirk still plastered on his face. "An'... oh," he turned his peculiar eyes down, feeling the strong vibration of his ringing phone. "Speakin' o' th' devil, she's 'ere!"

"I'm gonna shower." He muttered with a stifled yawn. "Don't you get any funny ideas while I'm gone."

"Mm-hm." The albino chirped, "Dress up t' make a good impression, yeah?"

"Like I give a shit."

"Yah, wha'ever. Yer showerin' either way." He shrugged, walking close to the occupied wheelchair and held on to the protruding rubber bars for handles. _Shiro_ followed his partner with his eyes as his grin grew even more. "See ya later!"

"Hn." Grimmjow nodded, closing the bathroom door behind him with a soft _thud_. Looking around, the bathroom was huge and grand and everything... everything that was totally unfitting for what this blue-haired _supposed_ human-hater was planning to do. He sighed and slid down with his back against the door.

This was wrong.

Seriously, wet dreams?! At the age of twenty-six? What is he? A vir—okay, he wasn't gonna finish that, but whatever! That was beside the point!

Grimmjow grunted and cussed as he fisted his electric blue hair, hating himself for going through such an embarrassing thing. Maybe he'd understand if he was younger... or if at least he was sleeping in a normal way without any possible _reason _for it or anything. And also maybe if he didn't remember the woman he was doing it with after he woke up! Besides, isn't that how it was supposed to be? He wasn't supposed to remember that pearl-like skin! That white, smooth, and sexy...

_Shit._

Well, this wasn't taking him anywhere... well, yeah, it is, but... not to where he wanted to be. But it wasn't like he didn't know what he was supposed to do next! Of course, he does! Who the hell do you think he is? He is Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez! A fully grown man! A man! A MAN!

_All I need is to jerk off and everything's getting all stupid_.

Stupid hormones_. Tch!_

**xxx**

**Knock! Knock!** Came the sound of the thumping little fist of a lady against the wooden door. "The young master, Ulquiorra-sama, and one of the hired guardians, Kurosaki Koichi-sama—"

"It's _Shiro_." The albino complained, but was no less ignored.

"Let them in." came a deep, stern voice of the woman from the other side; it almost made the albino swallow hard. _Almost_. After all, how can a woman be so damn scary? The only thing that a woman has that could hurt him are gigantic boobs that could suffocate all the life and dreams off his body. Psh. Such a woman with a child so old couldn't have such a weapon.

"Yes, my lady," the servant nodded and bowed low, "The lady is ready to meet you, Kurosaki-sama."

"It's _Shiro._" He repeated, pouting at the maid. "_Shiro, Shiro, Shiro._ Say it wit' me. _Shi-ro~ Shiro_! _Shiiiiiii~ rooo~_"

"Kurosaki-sama,"

"_Shiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrroo~"_

"Kurosaki-sama,"

"_Shiiiiii~ roooo~ _It's Japanese! Ya kno' Japanese, right? _Shiro, Shiro_!"

"Kurosaki—"

""

"Ku—"

"Stop calling me tha'," the albino growled, gripping the raven-haired lady's throat in a snap of the fingers as tight as he could without killing her but enough to leave a mark and traumatize her for days. He pulled her suddenly shivering form down to the ground until glaring at her became completely effortless; the angle even gave fearsome accentuation on his eyes. "Ya bi—"

"_Shiro_-san, was it?" came another voice.

"Huh?"

"Forgive her." The tanned-skin, blonde lady nodded her head towards the short-haired maid he had under his merciful grip. "You wanted to meet me, right?"

Forget the annoying little bitch... Mrs. Schiffer had huge _watermelons_ barely hidden by her hanging shirt!

_Run, Shiro!_

**xxx**

"I thought you liked women's breasts." Grimmjow muttered as he shoved a rolled up piece of tissue up the albino's nose. "Why the hell did you ran away when you saw her?"

So yeah, as shameful as it was to admit, _Shiro_ did run away at the sight of large boobs that were barely concealed at the end without any second thoughts. Like it was one of those _run or die_ kind of situations. Grimmjow really never understood the Japanese albino. One reason was that he never really cared. Second, well... _Shiro_ hated talking about himself.

"I do, bu' thos're monster tits. An' by experience, I kno' those can kill." The albino scrunched up his nose, uncomfortable with the stuffing his partner had thrust into his nostrils. He scratched the bridge of his nose. "So 'ow did it go?"

"How did what go?"

"Ahh, I fergot tha' yer a walkin' stick on yer own." He muttered with a pout. "So I still hafta meet th' monster after all."

"Not really." Grimmjow sighed, sitting down at Ulquiorra's unoccupied bed while the blind lady, sitting on her wheelchair, was close to him. "She said it's all there is to know."

"Wha' is?"

"...I don't know."

"Smart."

"Shut up." He grunted, "Anyway, she said she wanted a bodyguard on her way. And I'm staying with Ulquiorra"

"Obviously."

Later that night, the tan-skinned lady moved out along with his albino partner. Grimmjow didn't see them off. He didn't care. So days came and went, Grimmjow and Ulquiorra's life went on, but no one also came back within those days. Slowly but surely, the servants disappeared one by one without a sound, making the house feel a lot emptier than before as if the mansion was expanding on its own; nonetheless, Ulquiorra's schedule went on without a stump.

A few more days later, Grimmjow began to consider Kurosaki Koichi's disappearance, because with his absence came cold mornings woken up to silently. He didn't care about anything else.

"I don't get what's happening." He muttered as he sat at the chair by Ulquiorra's bed with a crimson book at hand. "That bastard better show up tomorrow and explain everything."

But the days went on and on... and on with the number of servants lessening ever so slowly with each day. Vague traces of existence of his partner still invisible to all eyes. For some odd reason, he started to get worried but it wasn't as if it was the first time the albino left without communication. Heck, the albino was MIA the entire winter last year! But that was due to _funny_ circumstances, this time didn't seem to be the same.

"...The liquid crystals that formed in his eyes began to crawl down, going through the same path it once taken down a pair of emerald eyes—tears that were for him, and now he was crying the tears that were for the other. For the both of them. For the love that had never really been there." He sighed, closing the book gently. "The end." _Finally! Crappy nightmare is over... stupid mushy novel._

Ulquiorra turned to him with all poise and pride that he was sure wasn't there before and lend out her hand, asking for his. This had become quite a little quirk for them to fill the room for conversations. It was certainly a peculiar way, but at least Ulquiorra didn't seem as dead as she used to be. Soon, even Grimmjow got used to the feeling, especially since he didn't have anyone else to talk to without _Shiro_ pestering him 24/7. As shameful as it was to admit, he kind of missed having the stupid brat around.

'_Worried?'_

"What are you saying?" Grimmjow scoffed. "Is there any other book you want me to read?"

'_Friend?'_

"Huh?"

'_Partner.'_

"Aah... well, let the freak die if he wants to die. He'd seen enough of the world."

Grimmjow hadn't seen even Ms. Melon or whatever her name really was; he didn't care enough to actually ask. Having the case like that, he began to learn his ways around the mansion and personally made sure to meet everything the blind woman needed everyday. With more than a month going on like that, the blue-eyed guardian eventually felt comfortable around her as if he had known her almost as long as he had known his Japanese partner.

"Anything else? Food, blankets, shower... whatever?"

It strangely felt natural.

'_Story.'_

"You want me to read another book?" Ulquiorra shook her head. "Then what?"

'_Yours._'

...until everything started to become personal.

* * *

**Fen:** Is everyone okay with a little gore at the end? I mean... they **are** bodyguards for a reason. :D


End file.
